Surprises
by Bindi
Summary: Set one month after Circles. Will has to deal with a surprise from Deanna, while his daughter has a surprise of her own. This also introduces characters from my crew of the Titan. There are a couple of typos, sorry.


Disclaimer; One of these days I might come up with an original way of saying that some of these characters belong to Paramount. Deanna Troi, Will Riker, Jean Luc Picard, Beverly Crusher, and Alyssa Ogawa are characters from ST:TNG. Any other characters in this story are mine. All ships also belong to Paramount. I just like to play with them. 

Surprises

"Come on Julie, you're going to be late for class." This would be the second time this week that she would be late. Her mother did not know what to do with the five-year old. After her Grandfather had died she had begun to show the beginnings of being telepathic. Since then she had not paid as much attention to her studies as she had. Granted, she was only five but normally the girl had enjoyed the time that she spent in school. Deanna Troi was not sure how to deal with her Little One. When she did not hear an immediate answer she upped the stakes. She had never tried to talk telepathically to Julianna yet, figuring that she was too young. But since the stunt at Kyle's funeral Deanna had been rethinking how she was raising her daughter. _Julie, why don't you want to go to school?_

Julianna stared at her mother. She knew that both of her parents could speak to each other mind to mind but she had never actually heard her mother's mind voice. She had felt emotions and feelings from both of her parents before now but never anything else. She really did not know how to respond the same way but she spoke to her mother. "Because I keep hearing the other kids."

"Do you mean that they are being mean to you?"

"No Mom, I hear them in here." She tapped on her head and slumped back onto bed.

"That is because you are going to be a telepath." Then it struck her, Julie did not mean to send to Will, it was an accident. "Do you remember your Grampa's funeral about a month ago?" Julie nodded at her mother. "Well, when your Daddy had finished talking on the podium, you told him that Grampa was happy. But you did not say it out loud."

Julianna Renee Riker finally realized what her mother was trying to tell her. "But Mom, Granna said that I wouldn't be able to learn to talk to her 'cause Daddy was human." She seemed a little scared.

"Little One, what she said is normally true, but sometimes Granna can be wrong. I think it is because your Dad has a little natural telepathy that you will probably be a fairly decent telepath. Now we are going to have to figure out how to deal with other kids. Mommy can start teaching you after school today."

"There is nothing strange about me? The other kids keep thinking that they should not play with me?"

"Unfortunately that probably has more to do with your father and I than you. I'll talk to your teacher today when I pick you up. Now come on, get dressed. Besides, it Daddy's birthday and I want to do something special for him."

"Can we give him a new trombone? I know he misses it, I heard him the other day."

"We are definitely going to have to work on your shielding. I don't want you picking up any more stray thoughts. Now off with you. I will pick you up after class." Deanna slumped into the chair at the table as she watched her daughter leave for class. She knew that there could be problems with her showing telepathy this early. Granted Deanna herself had begun to show empathy at about the same age. Most Betazoids did not show any form of mental aptitude until their early to mid teens. Those that blossomed earlier often had trouble adjusting to being telepathic and were placed under psychological care as soon as it was apparent that they were prodigies. Deanna could only hope that Julianna would have an easier time of it since there were only two other telepaths and an empath to cloud her mind over general public thoughts. Even though Deanna was only empathic around the crew, with her family and with one other crew member, Commander Justina LeBeau, Will's First Officer, she was also a telepath. Before she began to prepare for the surprise birthday that she was going to begin on the bridge and end in the Saucer Lounge later that night she decided that she would send a message to her mother and ask for advice on dealing with her daughter. She knew what type of counseling and training that she would need but what she needed at the moment was her mother's advice on being a mother as well. 

Julianna spent most of her day in misery. Every time that she looked at one of the other four kids in her class she swore that she could hear them think. It wasn't quite like the feelings that she had been picking up from them for about the last six months or so. This was like hearing them muttering in the corner. She hadn't been there an hour when she had started to get a headache from the background noise. She thought that she had heard one of the older girls that volunteered to teach the younger ones mention something that bothered her. The girl's name was Suzie and she was Dr. Ogawa's daughter. She knew that she hadn't spoken out loud because when she looked at the older girl she had been bent over a table helping Mikey Thompson. His mom worked with her Daddy a lot. Julie did not see Suzie's lips move but she could have sworn she heard Suzie say that she was worried about Mikey's Mom. From what Julie could remember his Mom was on an away mission that would take her away from Mikey for about two weeks. After that Julie tried to force her mind not to listen to what she heard. It worked until she the headache began to get worse.

She thought about trying to ask if the teacher would call her Mom to come and get her but she knew that Mom would be there soon. Instead of talking to anyone she sat alone in the corner and tried to work on the art project that she was going to give to her father tonight for his birthday.

Deanna entered the schoolroom about ten minutes before class was supposed to let out. Generally the teachers only nodded to her, knowing that it was part of her job to check the mental health of the students, as well as everyone else on board. This time however, Julie's teacher asked her to join her. "Counselor, I am worried about Julianna. She has not paid attention in class lately and today all she has done is sit in the corner and mope. Is there anything that I need to know about?"

Deanna could only sigh. "She took her Grandfather's death rather hard. And there is something else that showed up at the time as well." Deanna was never quite sure how to broach the subject of telepathy when there was possibly a breach of privacy involved. Taking a deep breath she continued. "We aren't quite sure if it was starting to develop before the funeral or not but she has started to project telepathically. If what she has told me is completely accurate, and I think it is, she has been receiving as well."

"Oh, my. Let me guess, she picked up on the other kids. It would be bad enough for a normal child, but the Captain's daughter, I can only imagine what kids would think. Verbally alone they can be brutal, but when they do not know how to control their thoughts, I bet Julie gets an earful. No wonder she has been so quiet."

"Yes. According to what she said, they do no want to play with her. She never would tell me exactly why, and I haven't yet decided to try to read her for myself. I don't want to, not if I can help it."

"Well, you know I am not a telepath, but I think that some of the yoga meditations that I practice might help her out a little bit. If it is ok with you I can add some of the simpler ones to the curriculum. I don't see where they would harm any of the kids, and it might just help Julie with learning how to center her mind enough to start blocking out the stray thoughts around her."

"I have not got any problem with that. As a matter of fact the Terran yoga meditations are very similar to some of the earlier exercises I learned when my empathy began to surface. I am just a little worried that she is showing these abilities too young."

"I will watch out for her Counselor. I have a cousin who is telepathic and I remember what he went through when he was learning."

"Great, now would you mind if I took her with me. It's the Captain's birthday, and I can think of nothing more embarrassing for him than bringing a Birthday cake on the bridge."

"See if you pipe a visual down here, that should be quite amusing." A grin spread on the woman's face. "In fact, I think I can up the stakes. Since there is not much going on today, I am betting that the entire class could show up to sing Happy Birthday. That is if the Second Officer feels that it would be appropriate for a half dozen kids to take a field trip to the bridge?"

"I think that would be an excellent idea. Lucky for you I happen to like the idea of making my husband blush." The Counselor/Second Officer of the _USS Titan_ joined her in a grin of her own. "I will return for the rest of the class in about ten minutes. I just need to talk to Julie for a few minutes." _Julie? Are you ready? I need to talk to you for a minute before we see your Dad._

Julie heard her Mom's mind voice as clearly as she would have if she had spoke. This morning when she first heard it she had been scared, now she liked it. _It would be cool to be able to do this all the time._

_Maybe not all the time Little One, but whenever you want to talk to me like this you can._ Deanna paused in afterthought._ Except when I am on the bridge. I will even let you call me when I am in my office, but you are not to distract me on the bridge unless it is really important._

"Ok Mommy."

The two of them left the classroom and headed to their quarters. Along the way, Deanna began to tell her daughter about some of the things that she would have to learn now that she could hear others in her head. "The first thing we are going to do is learn how to block out the stray thoughts that you hear just being around people. Remember the sing song exercise that I taught you when you started to feel things around you?"

"Yes. I remembered it today when I couldn't concentrate on anything but noise. It helped but it gave me a headache."

"I bet you were trying too hard. That same idea will work on voices as well as emotions. But what you are going to have to do is make yourself not listen. It is somewhat like when you hear Daddy and I talking in our room and you don't want to hear. You take the sing song and you make that the only thing that you hear. When that is all that you hear, you need to ground all of it away from you." She was watching, as well as mentally watching Julie to see if the girl understood. She had picked up on the empathic block in less than a day and over the three months since she learned the exercise she had become adept enough at it that Deanna had even tried to project emotions at the girl without cracking the shielding. Now what she had to do was teach her to do the same thing more actively. Grounding, for a telepath, was not as easy as it was for a martial arts practitioner but it was easier than the trance work done by many religions. By the time that they reached their quarters Deanna began to feel that Julie was beginning to understand the basic ideas. She was far too young to learn all the discipline that was required to completely master the necessary techniques but she would probably learn enough to get through on the _Titan._ The two of them changed in companionable silence. While Julianna was distracted trying to figure out what to wear to surprise her father, Deanna telepathically called Will.

_Will, I want you to do something for me._

_What would that be Imzadi. You know I would move the stars for you._

_Flatterer. Actually, I want to try something. After this morning I am sure that Julie is receiving telepathy. She admitted that she could hear her classmates and I have been talking to her that way on and off all day. I want to try to see how strong she is. Would you be willing to try to reach her. I know that mother placed several blocks on you after Dentarus but I am sure that you could reach her if she was in the same room. I want to see if she can hear you from the bridge._

_I can try. Are you sure that I can reach her?_

_Yes, for two reasons. One she has more of your heart than I do most of the time. And two, since I was pregnant with her when mother established the new links she was most likely included in those new pathways._

_Well, I have your expert opinion. When would you like me to try this?_

_Now would be good. I have a few things that I want to do soon and I would like to watch her reactions._ Deanna brushed her hair out as she went to the girl's room.

Julianna Riker had a lot on her mind. Her Mom had given her a lot to think about. She wasn't sure that she understood all of what she had been trying to tell her. It was easy to block out what other were feeling most of the time. She only had trouble one time, and her Mom had told her later that she had trouble blocking at that time. She wasn't sure that she would ever learn how to keep the voices out of her head. She had finally figured out what to put on and had almost forgotten why she had been upset.

_Pumpkin?_

_Daddy?_

_I thought that you could use someone to talk to._

_How did you know?_

_I wouldn't be Captain if I didn't know when someone on this ship wasn't up to snuff. Besides, your mom told me._ His little girl was so much like her mother he decided that her knowing that her mom was the one that said something she would not think that he had pried. It was one thing that both Will and Deanna had learned over the years, privacy with a telepath was hard enough, even if they weren't Deanna's mother.

_Thought so. Thanks Daddy._

_I'll tell you something. You are doing better at this than I did. Do you know it took me years to learn to say more than one or two words to your mother? And here you are talking to me like I was sitting on the bed with you. When did you grow up on me? Well Daddy has to go back to work. I love you Pumpkin._

With what could only be called a mental ruffling of her hair Julianna felt her Dad leave her mind. "Mommy! Daddy just talked to me."

"What honey, I didn't hear the intercom?" Deanna was standing at her daughter's bedroom door. She was sporting what her husband and former Captain would call the patented Troi smile. _Well I guess she is definitely going to be stronger than I. I better contact Betazed and see if they have anyone that is up to date with dealing with prodigies. If that doesn't work I could always ask Mother if she would come help out for a while._ "Are you sure?"

"He was in my head. I know he was." Julie had changed her expression. She now was looking a little scared. "There's nothing wrong is there Mommy."

"No Little One. It just means that we are going to have to find you special teachers sometimes. I am betting that you are going to be a very strong telepath. Now, as long as you are doing well in school and don't feel like you can't learn to shield out the stray thoughts of others you won't even realize that you ever couldn't hear with your mind." Deanna purposely projected a glib attitude about this new development and changed the subject. "Are you ready to surprise your Daddy?"

"What are we going to do?"

"Well I didn't tell you because I wanted to try what your father did first. But we are going to take a cake up to the bridge. As a matter of fact your whole class is going with us. Then you and your Aunt Justina are going to set up the real party in the Saucer for everyone. And you are going to be the one to call him when he gets off duty."

"Can we still give him a new trombone?"

"I did you one better. You told me months ago that you wanted to hear him play. I remembered about it when Yvette was born. I called your Aunt Beverly and Uncle Jean Luc. They managed to find a trombone from the 20th century. I don't know how and it cost me a pretty penny to get it, but when we were on Earth at the naming ceremony they gave it to me. I have kept it hidden. When you and Tina leave the bridge you can get it for me." Deanna saw and felt the joy Julie felt at knowing she really was going to get to give her Dad something like the trombone. "Are you ready?"

"Can I carry the cake?'

"Sure Little One."

When Deanna herded the last of the children onto the turbolift she called Tina. "Troi to LeBeau."

"Yes Counselor."

"Would you mind making sure that the Captain is on the bridge. I am bringing up the elementary school kids for a tour."

"Aye sir." Commander Justina LeBeau, First Officer of the _Titan_ smiled. "Captain Riker, would you mind joining me on the bridge? I think you need to see this."

"On my way."

"Quenten," LeBeau leaned over the conn officer's shoulder, "Run program LeBeau's surprise." Just at that moment the door from the ready room slid open revealing the Captain. He had a look on his face that not many aside from his closest friends knew. The man knew that something was up.

"What is it Number One? The last I knew we were not expecting anything today." He was smiling a bit, but he still did not know what to expect.

"We picked up something unusual. I do not know what to make of it. Marks, would you put it on screen." If LeBeau's timing was right the door to the turbolift should be opening just as the music started. An image filled the screen. There was a myriad of color without any form. "Can you clear it up Quenten?"

"Aye sir." The image pixelated and then reformed to a still of hundreds of balloons. As they sharpened there were words that formed in the different colors. At that moment the doors on the turbolift opened and a half dozen kids, all carrying a large cake spilled out of the door. Behind them were the Counselor and Anne Duncan the teacher of the class. In unison they all shouted, "Happy Birthday Captain!" The raven headed moppet in the center, who happened to be Julie Riker began to sing, almost but not quite in time from the music that played as the banner on the view screen sharpened to reveal 'Happy Birthday Will.' 

It definitely was not the most in tune version of Happy Birthday that Will had heard, but for what was becoming a regular in his life with Deanna he was a loss for words. He was torn at what to say. He was happy that anyone thought to say anything about it. Annoyed that they chose to surprise him like this. Above that was an enormous sense of pride knowing that this was his crew and they fit well enough that they were comfortable with letting their Captain see the day to day parts of their personalities that did not show up when they were on duty. All he managed before his little girl grabbed him was "Thank you." Privately to his wife he added, _Just wait. I will get even for this. Cake on my bridge, and children. What's next, Tribbles?_

_You sound just like Jean Luc did when he took command of the _Enterprise_. He said pretty much the same thing the first time Wesley was on the bridge._

Will grinned, hugged his wife and the turned to his little girl. "Was this your idea?"

"It was Aunt Tina's. Mommy helped."

"Well thanks to both of you. Now, that your Captain has been thoroughly reminded that he is officially old, everyone can go back to class." He watched the kids that had assembled frown a little. He changed his mind. "Ok, I give. What would you like to see?" The kids kept him busy for nearly an hour, giving Deanna and Tina a chance to sneak out. Deanna went to see to the last minute decorations while Tina and Julie went to retrieve Will's birthday present. 

_Daddy?_ This was Julie's first attempt at consciously trying to call someone telepathically. Her mom had told her to try to form the thought in her mind as if she was going to speak to a person out loud. Then what she had to do was think about that person. _Real loud._ Her effort was rewarded by not just one, but two responses.

_Julie. I heard you. You are getting better already. I am so proud of you pumpkin. I am still on the bridge so make it brief._

_Daddy, mommy said to meet us in the Saucer Lounge for dinner. _

_I will be there soon honey._

The second response came from her Aunt Tina. The woman had been making the adjustments on the table and getting the rest of the senior staff to find a place to duck so she could have the lights off to surprise the Captain. The only person that was missing was Will himself. Just as Julie tried to contact her father Tina stopped what she was doing. She then _listened _to the little girl. When she called 'Daddy' Tina did hear it. While not a very strong telepath Tina had learned a lot of control and uses for what she did have. It had been almost six years when she had learned about this gift, and not her "niece" was going through the same thing. Not knowing for sure if the girl would hear she opened her mind to the precocious five-year old. _Jules, that was excellent. But you are going to have to watch how loud you call someone. If you aren't careful others will hear you. _

_Ok Aunt T. _The girl paused after the statement. She knew that she felt some thing. Just as she was figuring out what it was she heard her mother tell the others in the room:

"He just got out of the lift. Places everyone. Computer lights off."

Will Riker walked into the lounge. It was way too quite and he knew that the lights should not be off. At this point he simply waited for what he knew was to come. The inevitable 'Surprise' came just as he figured it would. Another cake blossomed to life just as has regained his sight, this one though was a little more personal that the first. This one was black and white with both the music and word to Happy Birthday splashed across it. When asked to blow out the candles and make a wish he did not know what to wish for. His family was here, he had his own command, his best friends had done well for themselves, the only thing that he could wish for was the return of those that he had lost. Instead of even dwelling on that for more than a second he took the deepest breath that he could manage and blew out the candles. His wish was simple, to live to see more of these.

For the next two hours Will talked with the others in the lounge. Each in turn had a different gift to give him. After he had spent as much as he thought he could handle his wife came to rescue him. "Let's open the presents." Deanna scooped his arm into hers and led him to a table that had each of the gifts on it. There was one from each of the command staff as well as tow from Deanna and Julie. What Will would find out later was that there were about thirty others in his cabin. Several of the Beta and Gamma shift bridge crew and medical staff had also gotten him gifts. 

Will looked at the pile. If Deanna were to put words to what was going through his head it would sound something like a kid in a candy store. Never in his career had he been the receptor of such a birthday. There was a sense of family that he had not felt since he had left the _Enterprise_. In the six years that he had been captain he had never realized that he had missed the sense of camaraderie that had been present on his previous ship. _Come to think of it, I guess we had been together for a few years before we felt comfortable enough around each other to do things like this._

_You're also more personable than Jean Luc was at first. Remember it took seven years to get him to join in the poker games. _Deanna merely smiled.

"Well, where should I start?" He looked expectantly at his daughter.

"Start with Aunt T's." The five-year old had a look that could only be pulled off by a child. The _I know something you don't_ look that always means that something is up. Will looked to his Number One and his wife, somehow they managed the same look. "It's the little one."

"Ok Pumpkin." Will opened the small gift that had been from Tina. He did not know what to say. There was a hand written note and a isochip. "Will, I hope that you enjoy." After staring for a second he asked, "What's on here, or do I want to know?'

"Well it's a holoprogram that I wrote. It is a blues and jazz club scenario from the 20th century. I found the base from some of the archives."

"I can't wait." There was a wistful enthusiasm in his voice, like he would enjoy it more if he had a better way to participate. He missed hi trombone. For some reason he never liked the sound of a replicated ones, and his had been given to his doppelganger Tom years ago. "What's next?"

"Alyssa's. Hers is the one that looks like a roll."

This present proved to be a piece of sheet music. He was not familiar with the piece but it was scored for trombone. There was also parts for piano, as well as notes for possible solo improvisations. He noted the theme that was starting to form. The next several presents were also of a musical bend. A stand from Ben Varga, his chief engineer. An instrument stand from Shanar N'Ian, his security chief and 22nd century jazz festival that had included the first Vulcans to perform the style Karen Heath, the staff geologist that he had helped to gain a field commission and finish her Starfleet education. Finally all that was left on the pile was one large and long box from Deanna and Julie.

He had an idea what it probably was but he played it off. "Who is the last one from Pumpkin?"

With all the pride and seriousness that the child could manage she said, "Mommy and me. It was my idea though, and Uncle Jean Luc and Aunt Beverly helped."

Will had a feel that with Picard involved it was what he thought it was. He never had figure out how he managed to, but when he wanted something he got it. Even knowing what most likely in the box, he still was excited as he pulled on the ribbons. Nestled within the box was a trombone case. The case itself was fairly unremarkable, much like the one that he had before, except it had he feel of being much older. Inside the case was what he figured would be there. But unlike what he expected was the condition of the instrument. It was very old. Judging by the fading of the brass he figured that it was very well preserved and at least two hundred years old, or more. There was a note in the case. From the look on Deanna's face she hadn't been expecting it. Opening it he read;

Dear Will,

Happy Birthday Captain. I will have you know that your wife is still as persuasive as she was when she was merely a counselor on the _Enterprise._ It took me nearly a month to locate this. I figured that a man of your age deserved an instrument that was as old as he is. From what I can ascertain, this was made in the late 20th century or early 21st. I hope that you enjoy it.

Again Happy Birthday from both Beverly and I.

Jean Luc

Will was not sure what to say. Instead he merely hugged his little girl. As gently as he could he thought at her, _Thank you Pumpkin._

_You're welcome Daddy._


End file.
